Comedian Eric André Claims Racial Profiling at Melbourne Airport

US actor and comedian Eric André has claimed he was racially profiled at Melbourne airport.

In a video posted on Instagram on Monday, the Emmy-nominated host of The Eric André Show said he was travelling via Melbourne for work over the past few days and was “pulled out of a lineup and put in a special line” where he was “sniffed thoroughly” by a security dog.

“It’s one of the many times I’ve been racially profiled at the airport,” the comedian alleged, noting the incident took place while travelling by Qantas International via Terminal 2 at Melbourne airport, en route from Los Angeles to Brisbane.

He warned non-white followers travelling through that terminal: “They are searching Black, Brown and Indigenous people.”

In a statement to the Guardian, a Melbourne airport spokesperson said: “Melbourne Airport does not tolerate racism in any form. We welcome all passengers to Melbourne, and we expect everyone to be treated equally.

“Upon being made aware of Mr Andre’s complaint, we immediately asked the Australian Border Force (ABF) and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), the government agencies in charge of processing all international arrivals into Australia, including at Melbourne Airport, to investigate. Those agencies have now provided a response to Mr Andre.”

Replying to Andre’s Instagram post in the comments, a representative of the Australian Border Force said it had no involvement in the incident, writing: “Here at the ABF we are really proud of our diverse workforce, especially at Melbourne Airport, and the work they undertake – both human and canine – to keep the country safe.”

Representatives for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.

On Instagram, André asked anyone hiring him for future employment in Australia to not make him go through Melbourne airport alone: “Provide a police escort or some type of security escort for me, or have me fly into Brisbane or Sydney directly. I do not feel safe in the Melbourne Airport.”

Of the security dog program, he said: “It has nothing to do with safety, it has everything to do with racial harassment.” He also asked followers for recommendations for discrimination lawyers in Australia.

“I don’t want to cut my hair and wear a three-piece suit so that I’m treated like a first-class citizen,” he continued. “I shouldn’t be made to feel that I am unacceptable by entering a country. Shame on the people at the Melbourne Airport that have this cockamamie procedure.”

André did not immediately reply to the Guardian’s request for comment.

At the time of publication, André’s post had received more than 41,000 likes and 2,300 comments, with many followers posting messages of support and sharing their own experiences.

The Australian actor Zoe Terakes posted: “This is fucked mate. I’m sorry. Big love.”

Adam Briggs, one half of political rap duo AB Original, wrote: “As your Guardian Angel of Racist Australia; welcome!”

André has previously talked about being subjected to racial profiling at airports, and in 2022 he sued Clayton county in the US over an incident involving police at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta international airport, which the county described as a “consensual encounter”.

At the time he said: “I have the resources to bring national attention and international attention to this incident. It’s not an isolated incident.”

Source: The Guardian, Instagram